Tag Archives: Sariska National Park

Nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts can add one more option to their list of holiday destinations this monsoon. The national parks in Rajasthan, which are usually closed for monsoon between July 1 and September 30, will be thrown open to the tourists’ jungle safari by the forest department.

Ranthambore National Park (RNP), Sariska and Mukundra Tiger Reserves are the ones that will be kept open this monsoon season. The decision was taken at a recent meeting of the standing committee of the State Board of Wildlife and the Tiger Conservation Federation. Although, the onus of taking appropriate steps to implement the order with due attention to safety concerns, has been left to respective field directors.

During the last monsoon, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve had thrown open zones 6 to 10 for the public, where chances of tiger sightings were almost zero. But in a year, these have become popular zones of the critical tiger habitat, with reports good sightings of the big cat. “Tigers breed during all 12 months of a year. Some jungle tracks become slushy, but most of the terrain in the park is dry . Besides, opening the zones to tourism helped to check illegal grazing, cutting of forest, and other illegal activities during the monsoon as well as to monitor the movement of tigers,” wildlife experts said.

Zones in these parks will be kept open on a rotational basis for three months around the year, wherein each zone would be closed for three months. During monsoons, some zones will be opened for tourism depending on the critical circumstances, condition of roads and keeping in mind the safety of tourists.

So, plan your trip to Rajasthan now if you are looking forward to enjoying the thrills of Jungle in monsoon!

We remembering sharing with you some exciting reasons to go on Ranthambore wildlife safari in summer, that’s good but you should also know that visiting one of the Tiger Reserves in Rajasthan- Sariska will be costlier now.

The tiger safari in Sariska Tiger Reserve has become costlier after the recent hike. Tourists will now have to shell out Rs 1,000 more for the Gypsy safari, starting this month i.e. May, 2017. The forest department has now increased the Gypsy safari fee from Rs 3,280 to Rs 4,280, a hike of rs 1,000, from May 1. The Sariska Park has been faring badly in the wildlife safari circuit since 2005 and this new hike may take it even more down the preferred list of tourists.As it is, the park is short on tigers when compared to the more illustrious Ranthambore reserve.

With only 13 to 14 tigers compared to Ranthambore Tiger Reserve’s 60, sighting a big cat has become rare in Sariska, which is jokingly referred to as ‘buffalo sanctuary’. Instead of such price hikes, the government will have to draw up a comprehensive plan of action if it’s serious about reviving the park. The forest cover of Sariska reserve (1,100 sq km) is larger than Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, which spans over barely 392 sq km along with 60 tigers. Though Sariska lost all its tigers to poaching by 2005, it is now home to 14 big cats after relocation of tigers, distributed over a vast expanse of forest. To add to the woes, the forest department had copied the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve model and introduced three or four designated zones for tourists in Sariska.

Here’s some good news for wildlife lovers- You can visit Sariska Tiger Reserve even in monsoon now. Yes the officials have started safaris in the Sariska buffer zone from 1st July, 2016. This safari in buffer zone does not focus on catching a glimpse of the elusive tigers rather it has been started to get people acquainted with Sariska Forest.

Sariska

The national parks in Rajasthan including Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, Keolado National Park, Darrah Sanctuary, Sajjangarh Santuary, Kumbalgarh Sanctuary, Desert national Park, Mount Abu Sanctuary, SitaMata Sanctuary and Tal Chapper Sanctuary have been shut till 30th September. Sariska is the place where you can still go for wildlife sightings and an adventure in the forests.

The safaris will be carried out on 3 new routes and tourists will be taken to Silisedh, Balakila and Dadikar areas in Sariska’s buffer zone. 20 new vehicles have been plied for the safari and 30 nature-guides will help tourists in understanding the affluence of Sariska Forest. We say that you should lap up this opportunity if you are a nature aficionado!

As Rajasthan celebrates its 65th Rajasthan Diwas this year on 30thMarch 2015, we tell you the magnificent journey of 64 years. What makes Rajasthan so unique is its colorful culture, rich heritage and one of the tourist hubs. The state dazzles in its beauty and every glimpse is captures with due importance.

1. FAIRS AND FESTIVALS

Rajasthan is a state which is known for the richness of traditions, and diverse culture. All the festivals are celebrated with joy, enthusiasm, zeal and zest. Some major fairs and festivals are Pushkar Fair, Jaisalmer Desert Fair, Gangaur, Teej, Marwar Festival, Holi and the list goes on.

2. CUISINES

One cannot leave Rajasthan without tasting its food which is known for it spiciness and rich flavor. Rajasthani cuisine is mainly vegetarian but can be put together in a variety of mouthwatering dishes. A sweet is a must which is complemented with every meal. Some relishing dishes are dal bati churma which is a well known delicacy all around the world. Every region in Rajasthan has its own speciality and taste.

3. FORTS, MONUMENTS & PALACES

Rajasthan is well known for its historically rich ‘Forts and Palaces’. The forts of Rajasthan tell stories about the kings and queens and their journey during their period of reign. Each and every fort and fortress has a unique and unparalleled story behind it. Some monuments of Rajasthan are well recognized due to recognition by UNESCO, namely – Jantar Mantar (Jaipur), Kumbhalgarh fort, etc.

4. FOLK MUSIC AND DANCES

The folk music and dance are important part of our culture and thus performed at every occasion, may it be a birth of a new born, anniversary or a welcome to the new season. The famous dance form of Rajasthan is Kalbelia, Terahtaali, Ghoomar, Chari, etc. Though dance is not the only art, music is considered important in the state of Rajasthan.

5. WILDLIFE

Rajasthan is an abode to a number of species. It is known for diverse flora and fauna. Rajasthan lying in a desert region and having a varied topography is a home to various species. The Ranthambore National Park and Sariska Tiger Reserve are well known wildlife sanctuaries in this dry- arid region.

6. HAND BLOCK PRINTING & BLUE POTTERY

Rajasthan is famous for its art and craft. Hand block printing, especially Bagru pint with floral and leaf motifs are seen and worn by a large number. Another recognized traditional art is of blue pottery, which has its origins from Rajasthan in India. In it the color blue and its shades are kept as the base color. Lehariya is also a style which originated from the land of Rajasthan.

7. MUSEUMS

Museums are built to showcase the in-depth history of a place and to know about its culture. The museums of Rajasthan throw limelight to its rich heritage and varied, and diversified culture. Rajasthan is known worldwide for 1st silver museum in the world, situated in Udaipur. Not to forget the oldest museum of the state- Albert Hall, Jaipur is known for its rare articles. The other museums include- Government Museum in Jodhpur & Ajmer, Maharaja Sawai Mansingh Museum in Jaipur, etc.

An intricate mix of HISTORY, WILDLIFE and MYTHOLOGY… this is what SARISKA is. The Sariska Tiger Reserveis a national park in India located in the Alwar district of the state of Rajasthan. The contour of Sariska supports scrub-thorn arid forests, dry deciduous forests, rocks and lush grasses. This area was a hunting preserve of the erstwhile Alwar state and it was declared a wildlife reserve in 1955. In 1978, it was given the status of a tiger reserve making it a part ofIndia’s Project Tiger scheme. The present area of the park is 866 km². The park is situated 107 km from Jaipur and 200 km from Delhi.

There’s a temple dedicated to Hanuman (the monkey god of Hindu mythology) at Pandu Pol, located at about 20km from the main gate of the reserve. In fact, it’s quite simple to reach here as the metal led road ends at the temple. Archaeologically, it is an interesting site, for there’s a naturally formed gateway here which has some kind of an association with the Pandavas (of the Mahabharata). A cascading spring emerging from the hard limestone rocks gives the place the most delightful look.

Other major attractions in Sariska include Kankawari Fort, Nilkanth, Naldeshwar, Jaisamand Lake and Siliserh.

Park Timings: 0700 hrs to 1600 hrs. in winter (October to end of February) and 0600 hrs to 1700 hrs rest of the year.